‘There are more things in heaven and earth …’ I said vaguely.
Dimitri clapped his hands. Jingle jangle.
‘Hamlet!’ he cried.
‘You like Shakespeare?’
‘I audition for a touring production. But I did not get the part. I think, my accent, you know?’
‘I suppose so. So you’re a serious actor?’
‘What, you think I just do porno? I don’t. I have never done one, in fact, except with my girlfriend, for private watch only.’
‘Oh, no, I didn’t mean to assume …’
‘Is OK. Yes, I am an actor and I would like to get more work here in the UK. I have a few bit parts, you know, but always I am picked for the same roles. The criminal immigrant from Eastern Europe. It is quite boring, quite depressing. This is something new, could be fun.’
‘Did you grow that moustache for a part?’ I asked.
He shook his head vigorously.
‘No, no, no. Sometimes I am asked to shave him, but I always try to keep him, you know. Only if totally necessary for the part will I shave.’
‘I like that you call it “him”,’ I said. ‘It sounds like a pet.’
‘Yes,’ he said, smoothing the ends of the magnificent thing with his fingers. ‘Exactly. Like a good friend now. I cannot feel myself when he is gone.’
‘Well, I shouldn’t think Jasper will mind it. I’m pretty sure he’s only going to do shots of your lower half.’
‘What’s that? Who’s talking about me?’
Jasper entered from the door into the yard and stood, looking about and smiling at all the new faces he took in.
‘Oh, Jasper. Do you want coffee?’
I returned to the worktop while he took off his cap and jacket and came forward to perform handshakes and small talk.
‘You must be Dimitri. Delighted you could make it. That’s quite a fabulous tattoo you have on your shoulder; does it mean anything?’
I relaxed a little, feeling that the pressure to entertain was off me now. Jasper was so much better at turning on the charm than I was. I left him to it and busied myself with the coffee machine instead, giving me time to process my thoughts.
I had been so looking forward to seeing Rosie again and yet something in the atmosphere between us seemed slightly off. Was it jealousy? She had been almost aggressive when she spoke of telling everyone about me being in a dirty movie.
But what did she have to be jealous of? Dimitri was gorgeous and very sexy and clearly adored her. Yet there seemed to be some insecurity nibbling away at her somewhere. Oh, well. Perhaps a bit of tongue-loosening wine over dinner would solve the mystery.
Once coffee was finished, Jasper offered to show everybody around and we trooped after him. As I expected, everyone was impressed, especially Dimitri.
‘This is an English house I expect to see, like in the movies,’ he said. ‘It surprises me when I come to London and everybody is living in share apartments, very small, and the furniture is cheap, modern. It is not like the way you see it in the movies.’
‘Ah, no, we are terrible liars in the film industry,’ said Jasper, laughing.
‘It makes me understand, so much of this that we see in the movies is fantasy,’ said Dimitri.
‘But a fantasy that seeks to illustrate a truth,’ said Jasper. ‘It just illustrates it as beautifully as it can. I suppose we like to have our eyes pleased when we go to the cinema, don’t we? It isn’t just plain dishonesty.’
‘I think your films are very pleasing to the eye,’ said Trix. ‘You’ve got one coming out after Christmas, haven’t you?’
‘Oh, yes, it’s a drama set in southern France. We finished post-production last week. We’ve got a distributor lined up. UK release date is the end of January. You’ve done your homework.’